We’re being ripped off by Australia Post, with the approval of the Australian Government.
While on one hand the Government says that Telstra cannot have a monopoly because it would be unfair for Australians, on the other hand it allows Australia Post to operate in a complete monopoly, a law unto itself.
Australia Post decides when to increase prices, and does so often. It is never challenged in Government, and seeks to only increase its own bottom line. Oh it asks the Government, can we please increase our prices and what does the Government say every single time = YES!
Australia Post makes a considerable profit at the expense of every day Australians trying compete for business. Business cannot compete with its international competitors because Australia Post unfairly, and with only dollar signs and profit in its sights, charges considerably more than its international counterparts.
It is cheaper to send a parcel from London (UK) to Northcote (3070, Victoria, Australia) than it is to send the same parcel from Northcote (3070, Victoria, Australia) to Cartlon (3053, Victoria, Australia) under Australia Post’s new prices.
It will cost $13.40 to send a 600-gram package within Australia with Australia Post, but it costs only $7.40 to send the same package from London to Melbourne with the Royal Mail Service. Its not just the UK either, Hong Kong Post will send the same parcel from Hong Kong to Melbourne for just $1.40.
Who are we kidding here?
On eBay, I can buy a camera from Sydney and not only will the camera be more expensive, the postage costs more to send it to Melbourne in 4 to 5 days. Order the same camera from Hong Kong, its cheaper and often arrives next business day.
Shame, shame, shame.
When I lived in the UK, any item posted by 3pm on day one, would arrive by close of business on day two. Fair call, the whole of the UK is the size of Victoria but if I post an item in Melbourne on day one, it might get to Mildura by day three and cost me a whopping 200% more than it would have in the UK.
We’re told the cost of international mail remains cheaper because Australia Post cannot charge for the delivery of imported packages due to an international agreement known as “terminal dues”. How that must piss Australia Post off!
Under the agreement, 192 countries have covered the price of overseas mail entering their country since 1874.
Australia Post claims these agreements are destructive. Australia Post claims to have lost $50 million due to the cost of importing small parcels, but we don’t hear other postal giants complaining in other countries, why just Australia Post?
Chief executive, Ahmed Fahour thinks Australia Post is a competitive business. It is not and should not be treated like a commercial business but be there as a Government funded entity to aid and assist Australians communicate. Sure, it shoulkd break even, but surely assisting Australian’s go about there business should be its top priority.
The other one crying foul and unfair is Australia Post! I for one, think Ahmed Fahour needs to take good hard look at the damage Australia Post is causing the Australian economy. Forget a few cents the postal service might lose, compare to the billions that Australian small business would make if it could become competitive.
If Australian small business became competitive and sold more, it would pay more GST, more tax and use the postal service more often, most likely making the service more stramlined and profitable.
You only have to talk into any post office to see how outdated and backward thinking Australia Post is.
- Long queues
- Empty shelves
- Ridiculous retail items for sale
- Complicated archaic rules and regulations that slow everything down
Then, to top it all off, Australia Post has reduced the number of basic services it offers, they say to streamline its service. But thats not the reason, its so that it can charge more for the same. Its now charging for ‘add-ons’ like signature on delivery and prepaid packages that will cost online business owners up to 40 per cent more in postage.
It will also be increasing the price of its 500-gram eBay satchel by 15 per cent and its one-kilogram satchel by 11 per cent.
Fahour actually said.. “Rest assured that the more Australian retailers go online the happier we are, because we actually can make a buck on that.” That is not only criminal, it is un-Australian.